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Ukukhonza Izithombe EThempelini
1 Ngomnyaka wesithupha, ngenyanga yesithupha ngosuku lwesihlanu, lapho ngangihlezi endlini yami labadala bakoJuda behlezi phambi kwami, isandla sikaThixo Wobukhosi sehlela phezu kwami khonapho. 2 Ngakhangela, ngabona ulutho olwalulesimo somuntu. Kusukela kokwakungathi lukhalo lwakhe kusiya phansi wayenjengomlilo, njalo kusukela lapho kusiya phezulu ukubonakala kwakhe kwakhazimula njengensimbi evuthayo. 3 Welula okwakukhanya angathi yisandla wangibamba ngenwele zekhanda lami. UMoya wangiphakamisela phezulu phakathi komhlaba lezulu, kwathi ngemibono kaNkulunkulu wangisa eJerusalema, ekungeneni kwesango langasenyakatho yeguma langaphakathi, lapho okwakumi khona isithombe esibangela ubukhwele. 4 Njalo khonapho phambili kwami kwakulenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, njengasembonweni engawubona egcekeni.
5 Wasesithi kimi, “Ndodana yomuntu, khangela ngasenyakatho.” Ngakho ngakhangela, kwathi entubeni esenyakatho kwesango le-alithari ngabona lesisithombe sobukhwele.
6 Wasesithi kimi, “Ndodana yomuntu, uyakubona yini abakwenzayo, izinto ezenyanyekayo kakhulu indlu ka-Israyeli ezenzayo lapha, izinto ezizangixotshela khatshana lendawo yami engcwele? Kodwa wena uzabona izinto ezenyanyekayo kakhulukazi kulalezi.”
7 Emva kwalokho wangisa entubeni yeguma. Ngakhangela, ngabona imbobo emdulini. 8 Wasesithi kimi, “Ndodana yomuntu, khathesi gubha umduli.” Ngakho ngawugubha umduli ngasengibona umnyango khona.
9 Wasesithi kimi, “Ngena ubone izinto ezimbi lezenyanyekayo abazenzayo lapha.” 10 Ngakho ngangena phakathi ngakhangela, ngabona indawo yonke emidulini kufanekiswe inhlobo zezinto zonke ezihuquzelayo lezinyamazana ezenyanyekayo kanye lezithombe zonke zasendlini ka-Israyeli. 11 Phambi kwazo kwakumi abadala bendlu ka-Israyeli abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa, loJazaniya indodana kaShafani emi phakathi kwabo. Omunye lomunye wayephethe udengezi lokutshisela impepha ngesandla, luthunqa intuthu elephunga elimnandi elempepha.
12 Wathi kimi, “Ndodana yomuntu, ukubonile yini okwenziwa ngabadala bendlu ka-Israyeli emnyameni, omunye lomunye esendaweni yokukhonzela isithombe sakhe? Bathi, ‘UThixo kasiboni; uThixo uselilahlile ilizwe.’ ” 13 Wabuye wathi, “Uzababona besenza izinto ezenyanyeka okudlula lokho.”
14 Emva kwalokho wangisa ekungeneni kwesango lasenyakatho kwendlu kaThixo, ngabona abesifazane behlezi khona belilela uThamuzi. 15 Wasesithi kimi, “Uyakubona lokhu na, ndodana yomuntu? Uzabona izinto ezenyanyeka kakhulu kulalokhu.”
16 Wasengisa egumeni lendlu kaThixo elingaphakathi, njalo khonapho ekungeneni kwethempeli, phakathi komkhandlu le-alithari, kwakulamadoda ayengaba ngamatshumi amabili lanhlanu. Ayekhothamele phansi elangeni empumalanga, efulathele ithempeli likaThixo. Ubuso bawo bukhangele empumalanga.
17 Wathi kimi, “Sewake wakubona lokhu na ndodana yomuntu? Kuyinto encane na ukuthi indlu kaJuda yenze izinto ezenyanyekayo abazenza lapha? Kumele ilizwe baligcwalise futhi ngodlakela, njalo bangithukuthelise kokuphela na? Bakhangele bebeka ugatsha empumulweni yabo! 18 Ngakho ngizabaphatha ngentukuthelo; angiyikuba lesihawu kubo ngibayekele. Lanxa sebeklabalalela ezindlebeni zami, kangiyikubalalela.”